The present invention relates to display devices. In particular, the invention relates to a display device capable of displaying data by using openable display means like a book and allowing a user to turn a page in a feeling that the user actually turns a page.
Conventional portable type display devices which display an electronic book and the like causes a page to be turned by pressing of a page forward or a page backward button.
Japanese Patent No. 2580760 (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-230313) discloses a browsing device which gives an instruction to cause a page to be turned by a user rotating a rotation sensor. This Japanese Patent also discloses instruction for turning a page by using a pressure sensor. According to this, the direction and speed of browsing are determined by a pressure difference between a pressure sensor for positive browsing and a pressure sensor for negative browsing. Above Japanese Patent further discloses instruction for turning a page by using a curvature sensor and a switch. According to this, the speed of browsing is calculated based on the magnitude of curvature detected by the curvature sensor and the direction of browsing is determined based on the state of the switch.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-148257 discloses a portable document processor having a display screen corresponding to one page. This processor causes display data corresponding to one page to be read from a memory by pressing of a page forward key, and the read display data is stored in a display buffer memory. The display data corresponding to one page is thus stored in the display buffer memory so as to display the data of one page on the display screen. In this way, a user can read documents as if the user reads a book by turning pages.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 63-116287 discloses a display device having two openable display screens. A user can turn pages by operating an input key.
The browsing device mentioned above causes a page to be turned by pressing of a button or rotating of a roller, which is different from the usual turning of pages of a book or magazine. In this case, an electronic book cannot be read to give a sense that a page of a book or magazine made of sheets of paper, plastics or the like is actually turned.
It would be convenient if pages can be turned without touching of a button or roller with a finger or the like.
The above browsing device and portable document processor have only one display screen, which is not necessarily convenient for use of the device.
Although the display device described above has two display screens, the screens as a whole cannot be folded back to back for use. As a result, the display device occupies a large area to make it difficult to hold the display device in one hand, causing a problem about portability. Even if the display device can be folded back to back, data is always displayed on one of the screens which is not watched by a user, resulting in a problem about leakage of information and power consumption.
In addition, since the above display device cannot be folded back to back, if the device is used for playing a competitive game, for example, in which preferably a player does not show the player""s own cards, the player cannot keep the cards secret from an opponent.
One object of the present invention is accordingly to provide a display device capable of turning a page of an electronic book to give a feeling that a page of a book or magazine made of sheets of paper, plastics or the like is actually turned.
Another object of the invention is to provide a display device capable of turning a page to give a feeling that a page is actually turned and further capable of turning pages one by one and turning pages successively by the same operation.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a display device capable of turning a page even if a user does not shift a pointer such as hand and finger to a button.
A further object of the invention is to provide a display device capable of being folded back to back and held in one hand, which is small in size, superior in portability and consumes less power and is also appropriate for use to play a competitive game.
A further object of the invention is to provide a display device which is superior in prevention of information leakage and consumes less power.
According to one aspect of the invention, a display device includes a memory for storing information, a display for displaying information, a page turn instruction unit for detecting that the instruction unit itself is tilted to output a detection signal indicating direction of the tilt, and a display control unit for receiving an instruction from the page turn instruction unit to read information of a next or previous page from the memory according to the direction of the tilt and display the read information on the display.
In response to sliding of a finger or hand of a user over the page turn instruction unit, the display control unit turns a page. In this way, the user can turn a page in a feeling as if the user actually turns a sheet of paper with a hand.
According to another aspect of the invention, a display device includes a memory for storing information, a display for displaying information, a page turn instruction unit for detecting direction of movement of a pointer to output a detection signal indicating the direction of the movement, and a display control unit for receiving an instruction from the page turn instruction unit to read information of a next or previous page from the memory according to the direction of the movement of the pointer and display the read information on the display.
In response to movement of a pointer such as a finger and hand of a user over the page turn instruction unit, the display control unit turns a page. In this way, the user can turn a page in a feeling as if the user actually turns a sheet of paper with a hand.
Preferably, the display control unit includes a unit for receiving an instruction from the page turn instruction unit to read from the memory information of a page determined according to the direction of movement of the pointer and a time period in which the pointer touches the page turn instruction unit and accordingly display the read information on the display.
The display control unit changes the number of pages to be turned according to the time period in which the pointer touches the page turn instruction unit. In this way, pages can be turned one by one and can be turned successively by the same operation.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a display device includes a display for displaying information, a page turn instruction unit for detecting a position touched by a pointer to output a detection signal indicating the touched position, and a display control unit for receiving an instruction from the page turn instruction unit to read information of a next or previous page from a memory according to change of the position touched by the pointer and display the read information on the display.
A user can turn a page by touching twice the page turn instruction unit with a pointer. The direction of turning a page is determined according to change of the touched position. In this way, the user can turn a page in a feeling as if the user actually turns a sheet of paper with a hand.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a display device includes a memory for storing information, a display formed of at least two openable and closable screens for displaying information, a page turn instruction unit for detecting an open/close operation of the display to output a detection signal, and a display control unit for receiving an instruction from the page turn instruction unit to switch information displayed on the display according to the detected open/close operation.
A user can turn a page by an open/close operation of the display. In this way, the user can turn a page without moving a pointer such as a hand and finger to a button while holding the display device.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a display device includes a memory for storing information, a display for displaying information, a speaker for outputting sound, a page turn instruction unit for issuing an instruction to switch information displayed on the display, a display control unit for receiving the instruction from the page turn instruction unit to switch information displayed on the display, and a sound output control unit connected to the display control unit for outputting a sound of turning a sheet of paper from the speaker according to switching of information displayed on the display.
The sound output control unit outputs the sound of turning a sheet of paper simultaneously with turning of a page. In this way, a user can turn a page in a feeling as if the user turns a sheet of paper.
Preferably, the speaker is formed of at least two speakers, and the sound output control unit includes a circuit connected to the display control unit to output from the speakers the sound of turning a sheet of paper according to switching of information displayed on the display and to output the sound while changing the volume of the sound output from at least two speakers according to direction of switching information.
According to the direction of turning a page by a user, the sound of turning a sheet of paper is generated with the center of sound shifted. In this way, the user can turn a page in a feeling as if the user actually turns a sheet of paper.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a display device includes a memory for storing information, a display formed of at least two openable and closable screens for displaying information, a rotation angle detection unit for detecting an angle of rotation of the display, and a display control unit connected to the rotation angle detection unit for controlling, according to the angle of rotation of the display, whether the display provides display or not.
The display control unit can make a control to cause a screen which is not watched by a user not to provide display, when the user folds the display back to back. Thus, it is possible to provide a display device which is superior in prevention of information leakage. It is also possible to reduce power consumption of the display device. Further, it is possible to provide a display device superior in portability, having a display which can be freely rotated by a user to enable the user to watch the display even if the area occupied by the display device is reduced.
Preferably, the display device further includes a fixing unit for fixing the display at an angle of rotation in a predetermined range.
The user can fix the display at an angle of rotation in a predetermined range. In this way, the user can play a competitive game without allowing the user""s cards to be revealed to an opponent.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a display device includes a memory for storing information, a display formed of at least two openable and closable display screens for displaying information, a tablet unit formed of at least two components provided corresponding to respective display screens for detecting an area where a pointer touches the display, and a display control unit connected to the tablet unit for controlling whether the display provides display or not according to the area where the pointer touches the tablet unit.
The display control unit determines which of the screens of the display is watched by a user according to the area where a pointer such as finger touches the tablet unit, so as not to provide display on a screen which is not watched by the user. It is thus possible to provide a display device superior in prevention of information leakage. Reduction of power consumption of the display device is also possible.